Health and Wellbeing Board evaluation report released

Health and Wellbeing Board evaluation report released

The next year will be critical for uncovering whether health and wellbeing boards (HWBs) will be ‘system leaders’ or a sideshow, a report has claimed.

Released by healthcare think tank the King’s Fund, the report shows that local authorities have brought strong leadership in establishing the boards, and that many have good relationships with clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) (93%).

However, many HWBs have not begun to tackle more pressing issues, such as reconfiguration and integrated care.

The report, called Health and Wellbeing Boards: One year on claims that local boards having to sign off plans for the £3.8 billion Integration Transformation Fund (ITF) could test how ready HWBs are to take on a stronger commissioning role.

Richard Humphries, King’s Fund assistant policy director and the report’s lead author said: “[HWBs] challenge is now to move from development to delivery.

“Their role in signing off the £3.8 billion joint investment in health and social care is a big opportunity to demonstrate their ability to offer credible leadership across the whole system of health, care and public health.”

Most HWBs do not believe they have any influence over NHS England (77%). And only 31% of HWBs have a housing lead on the board.

Many boards have recognised the need to invest time in developing themselves, with 79% having produced a joint strategic needs assessment, and 88% having produced a local health and wellbeing strategy.